WELCOME TO THE 1st PUBLIC MEETING

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WELCOME TO THE 1st PUBLIC MEETING
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WELCOME INTRODUCTIONS

• Project Website
• www.newmobileplan.com

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MOBILE PLANNING TEAM MEMBERS

• EDSA, Inc.
• Urban Design, Visioning and Community Planning,
  Public Participation
• www.edsaplan.com
• RKG Associates, Inc.
• Economic Development, Implementation Strategies
• Asset Property Disposition - APD, Inc.
• Neighborhood Revitalization, Public
  Participation, Housing
• Volkert and Associates, Inc.
• Transportation, Parking Infrastructure
• Susan Turner Associates
• Historic Preservation, Cultural Resources

STA
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WHY DO A STRATEGIC PLAN?

• Mobile is well positioned for both physical and
  economic growth over the next 10 years
• As stated in the Mayors Transition Task Force
  Report,
• The City of Mobile should become the leading
  business and cultural community in the State of
  Alabama in order to be nationally recognized as
  the regional center for economic growth and
  quality lifestyle along the northern Gulf Coast.
• A vibrant, culturally diverse, residentially and
  commercially desirable downtown area core is
  critical to having the City of Mobile achieve
  this goal. We must build upon the energy and
  success of our immediate past and stand upon our
  300 years of coastal heritage to move forward
  together.
• To succeed at this goal, the City and its
  citizenry, businesses, property owners and
  industries must prepare a new guiding plan that
  provides direction for strategic public and
  private investments that will continue to foster
  growth in Mobiles downtown business and
  neighborhood core.

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CREATING A NEW MOBILE PLAN FOR 2008-2018

• Study Area
• Project Approach
• Acknowledging the distinct character of each
  zone, the different opportunities constraints
  and developing an overall framework and a
  unified vision.
• Downtown Core, Waterfront Midtown West
  Corridors Plan
• Midtown North Neighborhood Corridor Plan
• Midtown South Neighborhoods Corridor Plan

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PROJECT ORGANIZATION SCHEDULE

• Multiple Client Process
• Office of the Mayor
• Project Manager
• Communications Director
• Community/Citizen Groups
• Business Community
• Property Owners
• Five Simultaneous Working Tracks
• Step 1 Orientation
• Research and Observation Learning about
  Downtown Midtown Mobile
• Field Observation and Public Participation
  Initiation
• Analyzing and Conveying Current Conditions in
  Mobile

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UNDERSTANDING THE MOBILE URBAN FRAMEWORK

• The URBAN MENU
• A Downtown Core
• Major East-West and North-South Streets
• Fifteen Geographic Neighborhood Areas
• Six Historic Districts
• Business/Retail Centers
• Employment Centers
• Tourism Destinations
• Infill Housing Programs
• Open Space Resources

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ZONE 1-A DOWNTOWN CORE URBAN FRAMEWORK
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ZONE 1-B NEIGHBORHOOD CORRIDORS FRAMEWORK
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PURPOSE AND FORMAT OF TONIGHTS MEETING

• This meeting is designed to facilitate the
  creation of a community-wide vision, develop
  consensus points and share information.
• The participants will be divided into (6) groups.
  As you signed in you should have received a
  NUMBER which identifies your breakout group.
• The breakout sessions will allow participants to
  collaborate and educate the planning team on
  strengths , weaknesses, opportunities and threats
  surrounding the zone in the areas of Urban
  Design, Housing Neighborhood Conservation,
  Economic Development, Cultural Historic
  Preservation, and Transportation Infrastructure
• Each breakout group will be led by a facilitator
  from the planning team and supported by a record
  keeper and mapper to document all the information
  discussed.
• Each breakout group is responsible for completing
  the (2) exercises provided.

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KEYS TO DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN

• Urban Design Drivers
• Enhanced linkages to the Waterfront, Fort Conde
  throughout Downtown
• The Visitor Domain must continue to be expanded
  and refreshed
• Strategic uses for key vacant sites in the CBD
  which currently discourage investment and use
• Focused Revitalization of Radial Commercial
  Corridors Rethinking the future land use
  pattern
• Public Realm Improvements where needed and where
  development is most likely occur
• Introduce more housing types/choices and park
  amenities in the CBD Neighborhoods
• Strategically increase the density of perimeter
  parking redevelop internal surface parking
  sites
• Potential reuse redevelopment of City County
  Owned Facilities/Sites i.e. Civic Center

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KEYS TO DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN

• Key Economic/Market
• Project Drivers
• Creating a Vision that Captures the Attention of
  Mobile Residents, Downtown Stakeholders, the
  Real Estate Development Business Community
• Making the Development Vision Reflect Market
  Reality
• Creating a New Urban Framework and Sense of Place
  to Drive Development Demand Real Estate Value
• Creating Public Realm/Private Catalyst Projects
  to Spur Redevelopment in Key Areas
• Make Sure Projects Create Cash Flow from a
  Private Market and Municipal Context (financial
  viability)
• Community Outreach and Marketing of the Plan to
  Key Constituent Groups

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KEYS TO DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN
Economic Development, Implementation and Housing

• Economic Development,
• Implementation Housing
• What are the short long-range investment
  objectives of key property owners?
• What actions will stimulate a new round of
  private investment in Downtown?
• What is the potential for public/private
  development partnerships and when should they be
  used? What is an appropriate role for the City
  to play?
• What is Downtowns residential development
  potential?
• Given other City priorities, what is an
  appropriate balance for the City to invest in
  Downtown and surrounding neighborhoods?

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KEYS TO DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN

• Historic Preservation Drivers
• What cultural places, well known and obscure, are
  significant to residents?
• What are the historic land uses in the study
  area?
• How well are neighborhoods in the study area
  linked, both culturally and economically?
• What are the deterrents to preservation in the
  neighborhoods and districts today?
• What preservation resources are available in the
  community beyond the typical state and federal
  programs?

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KEYS TO DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN

• Transportation, Parking
• Infrastructure Signage
• Provide multi-modal transportation corridors
• Improve pedestrian access and safety
• Increase efficiency of existing parking and
  establish new parking resources
• Provide increased signage for parking
  opportunities
• Improve drainage for existing and developing
  areas
• Provide dependable water and sewer service for
  increased residential and commercial development
• Increase visitor experience with wayfinding sign
  kiosks

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EXERCISE 1

• Answer the following questions, write each answer
  on the Post-It Notes provided and place it in the
  appropriate category on the board provided.
• Identify (2) areas of greatest need specific to
  the area.
• Identify (2) opportunities or assets specific to
  the area.

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EXERCISE 2A

• Using the large aerial base map, colored markers
  and colored dots provided, please work with
  facilitators to develop a future framework and
  analysis map of the Zone in the areas of
• URBAN DESIGN Community landmarks and assets,
  public realm enhancements, Unsafe areas
• HOUSING Areas for housing infill opportunities,
• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Business areas that serve
  the community and opportunities
• CULTURAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION Cultural or
  historic sites important to neighborhood heritage
• TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Walkway/
  Bikeway linkages, Roadway or utility improvements

EXERCISE 2B

• Using the chart of questions provided from the
  presentation, please work with facilitators to
  develop answers for each area in as much detail
  as possible.

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ZONE 1-A COMMUNITY SELF-ANALYSIS MAP EXERCISE
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ZONE 1-B COMMUNITY SELF-ANALYSIS MAP EXERCISE
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ZONE 1 COMMUNITY DISCUSSION
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NEXT STEPS

• City EDSA team to gather public comment
  handouts by April 1, 2008
• Tabulate results and comments to inform the
  process
• Compile community self- analysis drawings into
  team summary analysis drawings.
• Conduct follow-up economic, historic and physical
  research
• Establish preliminary areas of focus for public
  review in late May/early June
• Prepare preliminary planning concepts and
  strategies for consideration at 2nd round of
  public input meetings

Project website www.newmobileplan.com
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WRAP-UP

• Thank you for your participation this evening !
• Special thanks to our Client Group
• Mayor Sam Jones
• AL Stokes
• Barbara Drummond
• Dan Dealy
• Allyson Wynn
• And a special thanks to
• The many volunteers and local professionals that
  helped with our break-out groups this evening.
• We look forward to meeting with you again in
  June!